PACKAGING TYPES
There are five basic packaging materials: paper, plastic, glass, metal and wood (pallets). A sixth is composites, where the package is made from a combination of several materials. For example, paper and plastic (polycoat) milk cartons or aseptic packaging (juice boxes made from paper, plastic and aluminum).
There is a wide range of packaging types even within the one grouping. Paper-based packaging, for example, includes not only the major packaging grades of containerboard, boxboard and kraft paper packaging, but also envelopes and labels and tags, things we don’t normally consider as packaging.
Containerboard is a collective term used to describe its two components: linerboard and corrugating medium. Think of it as a sandwich. The liner is the bread on both sides and the wavy bit in the middle is the medium that gives the container its strength.
Its strength and stacking properties make containerboard the ideal shipper, to make sure your purchase arrives in good condition (no dents, no scratches) all the way from the factory to you.
Most containerboard, in fact, is used to ship multiple items to a warehouse prior to further distribution by wholesalers and retailers. The public generally comes into contact with containerboard when buying heavier items such as a fridge, TV, beer, electrical and electronic goods, and other large items.
Boxboard is the thin, lightweight container used to package cereals, shoes, toys and a myriad other things. Boxboard also has a non-packaging use: as the top and bottom liner in gypsum wallboard products.
Kraft bags and sacks can be essentially divided into two categories: the paper bags used to carry groceries (kraft is the German word for strong) and multi-wall sacks that contain anything from flour and cement to donuts and pet food.